THE DANGERS OF ALCOHOL IN THE LIFE OF A CHRISTIAN

Nothing can stir up great debate and/or emotion such as the topic of alcohol within the life of a believer. Yet the facts remain that alcohol in its purest form is something we, who are in Christ, need to abstain from. And contrary to some who would argue that moderation is ideal, nothing could be further from the truth.

I was raised in a Christian home, both my parents were believers, although my Father struggled at times in his walk yet in the years just prior to his early death at 43, he cemented his walk with the Lord completely. Still, in his younger days, my dad had bouts with alcohol – so did his Father – my grandfather. For most of my life, I have seen the results of alcohol in all its debilitating forms and none of it proved to me that alcohol, in any form, in any amount was productive to the human body. Actually, it’s a fact that hard liquor is not only harmful to the mind, it’s also destructive to the body.

Yet I see many within the body of Christ reaching for the bottle of Chivas Regal or Budweiser, or worse, Kentucky Bourbon and think it’s no big deal. The problem with alcohol in the life of a believer is, it is a big deal.

The #1 cause of highway deaths related to automobile accidents in the United States is in fact alcohol. The #1 cause for domestic violence in America is both the combination of alcohol and drugs. The #1 gateway drug in teenagers in the United States is alcohol. So far, the benefits (whatever they might be) of alcohol are not as beneficial as one might think, actually, any so called “benefit” are quickly diminished by the long list of health hazards when we look at the overall affects of alcohol on the human body. Here are the facts relating to alcohol and its affects to those who use it.

Alcohol is the #1 cause of liver dysfunction in the world. Alcohol interferes with the brain’s communication pathways, and can affect the way the brain looks and works. These disruptions can change mood and behavior, and make it harder to think clearly and move with coordination. Alcohol can increase your risk of developing certain cancers, including cancers of the:

Mouth

Esophagus

Throat

Liver

Breast

Drinking alcohol, even on a single occasion can damage the heart, causing problems including:

Cardiomyopathy – Stretching and drooping of heart muscle

Arrhythmias – Irregular heart beat

Stroke

High blood pressure

Heavy drinking takes a toll on the liver, and can lead to a variety of problems and liver inflammations including:

Steatosis, or fatty liver

Alcoholic hepatitis

Fibrosis

Cirrhosis

Alcohol causes the pancreas to produce toxic substances that can eventually lead to pancreatitis, a dangerous inflammation and swelling of the blood vessels in the pancreas that prevents proper digestion. Drinking alcohol can weaken your immune system, making your body a much easier target for disease. Chronic drinkers are more liable to contract diseases like pneumonia and tuberculosis than people who do not drink too much. Drinking a lot on a single occasion slows your body’s ability to ward off infections – even up to 24 hours after getting drunk.

These are medical facts that can be researched by just taking the time and effort to find the truth about alcohol and its effects.

The problem with Christians who use alcohol in any form and then justify it by suggesting that the word of God does not truly deal with alcohol simply have never taken the time to understand what alcohol is, or the differences to alcohol and its abuse. The truth about alcohol and the believer is very simple,When we lose our testimony, we lose credibility as Christians.

Whenever we discuss the topic of alcohol and its many differences, we need to distinguish between two (2) things, two words which will help us understand the word of God when we discuss what God says and warns about concerning alcohol or wine. They are both Hebrew root words:

1. Yayin – which means fermented, that which makes DRUNK.

2.Tiyrowsh – which means freshly made juice BEFORE fermentation.

Whenever we draw conclusions about wine and its terminology when we read it in scripture, it is vital we separate what and which word is being used and how. Example, some Christians use the excuse to justify the drinking of wine by suggesting that when Jesus turned water into wine, it is proof that Jesus drank wine himself – not so. When we examine the wording, the terminology being used in John 2:2-10, the word wine is not indicative of fermented wine, which produces drunkenness, it’s referring to the word Tiyrowsh, which means grape juice.

The Bible says alcoholic drink is evil. It is not just the amount one drinks that makes drinking a sin. God condemns the drink itself. (Prov 20:1 KJV) “Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.” God does not lead us into evil; He delivers us from it. He does not teach us to practice evil in moderation. Jesus did not make, use, approve, commend, or tell us to use intoxicating wine. The truth is, God made man to have fellowship with Him and yet alcohol goes directly against the Holy Spirit in the life of a believer. It interferes with God’s purpose for mankind and especially those who are in Christ Jesus.

So why would God warn us about the consumption of alcohol? The reasons are many, but let’s examine a few cases where men, servants of God, disobeyed and were consumed by alcohol and the ramifications of such cost them dearly. They are:

Genesis 9:20-26 – Noah became drunk; the result was immorality and family trouble.

Genesis 19:30-38 – Lot was so drunk he did not know what he was doing; this led to immorality

Leviticus 10:9-11 – God commanded priests not to drink so that they could tell the difference between the holy and the unholy.

Proverbs 23:35 – Alcohol makes the drinker insensitive to pain so he does not perceive it as a warning. Alcohol is habit forming.

Proverb 31:4-5 – Kings, Princes, and others who rule and judge must not drink alcohol. Alcohol perverts good judgment.

Proverbs 31:6-7 – Strong drink could be given to those about to perish or those in pain. Better anesthetics are available today.

Numbers 6:3 – The Nazarites were told to eat or drink nothing from the grape vine.

1 Corinthians 6:10 – Drunkards will not inherit the kingdom of God

Galatians 5:21 – Acts of the sinful nature, such as drunkenness, will prohibit a person from inheriting the kingdom of God.

Ephesians 5:18 – In contrast to being drunk with wine, the believer is to be filled with the Spirit.

1 Thessalonians 5:6-7 – Christians are to be alert and self-controlled, belonging to the day. Drunkards belong to the night and darkness.

1 Timothy 3:2-3 – Bishops (elders) are to be temperate, sober, and not near any wine.

When we examine all the scriptures that it has to say about alcohol and wine, then we can clearly see that not only is wine and everything about strong drink (whiskey) is wrong, but it literally places the believer in a position where they are going against God and his word. Yet some would say that the word speaks only about drunkenness and not moderate usage, but here’s the problem with that argument, it does not hold up to the facts. It is a fact that 1 drink of beer, wine or a shot of whiskey makes one legally drunk. That’s just 1 drink. However, 1 drink has never produced anything of substance in the life of someone trying to live for Christ, actually the opposite.

If one (1) drink does no harm, then what does the word say? “A little leaven leavens the whole lump.” (Galatians 5:9) If alcohol, in any form, is not harmful, then can the argument about pot, cocaine, legalization of drugs be any worse? Where’s the defining line? I will tell you where the defining line is – the word. The word of God makes it clear to AVOID the very appearance of evil, and it’s a fact that alcohol in drinking form, has never produced anything of value, but evil. Wives are beaten because of alcohol. Children are tormented because of alcohol. Marriages are destroyed because of alcohol. If there is any redeeming value in alcohol that is available to drink for people, then I’ve missed it. The truth is, there is nothing good about drinking alcohol, nor should it be in the life of a believer – period.

In this modern day watering down of the word of God, where men are trying to justify the sins of the flesh, especially in the realm of alcohol usage, the truth remains the same, God never changes. People might change, cultures might change, society might change, but the reality is, God will never change his opinion when we are dealing with sin. Yet many are trying and many are falling for false teachings daily. However, some of us refuse to believe it and some of us choose to fight it, even if it means labeled as old fashioned, out of touch, legalist, and Bible thumper. Yet the facts are, the dangers of alcohol in the life of a believer should not occur, simply because the temptations, the seduction alcohol brings is many times the stumbling block which starts the road to ruin to them that don’t listen and obey what God says in his word. Noah fell victim to it, so did others- are you any different?

The answer is simple – abstain. Abstain from the dangers of the evil one and all he offers in this life which leads to destruction, this includes alcohol.

Related

Total agreement…I too studied. The key word at the wedding in Cana is the statement. You have saved the best wine to those who are WELL DRUNK. It is contradictory to a gods Word to press the bottle to those who are well on their way to being drunk

IT’S ABOUT TIME!!! Thanks, Christopher for bringing this issue before us and for making it so simple to understand for those who are confused about whether it is a sin to drink. I am NOT confused. I lived with an alcoholic father for the first 18yrs of my life and drinking, as a Christian, has never been an issue for me. I knew from an early age that I NEVER wanted alcohol to touch my lips, to be in my home, to be around my children. I determined early on to marry a man who feels as strongly about not drinking as I do. I watched alcohol destroy my father – he died drunk – murdered after leaving a bar with men he did not know. He also had cancer of the colon. I watched his drinking destroy his marriage to my mother and his relationship with my sisters and me. I watched alcohol destroy my mother’s self esteem as he continually slept with other women. Alcohol severely damaged the lives my of sisters. But, Thank God, I was a Christian and refused to allow alcohol to destroy my life. There is NO “one” drink – if you are prone to alcoholism (even if you aren’t) – that “one” drink usually leads to another and another. Christopher, I appreciate you pulling these scriptures about drunkeness and drinking and listing them so that anyone in doubt can readily see what God has to say about alcohol. There is NO GOOD OR VALID REASON FOR DRINKING – EVER!! What has a drink ever done to help any Christian in their walk with God? On the contrary, it brings only destruction and devastation and hinders your witness to unbelievers. No Christian needs alcohol in their life any more than they need drugs.

True, but the problem is that many try to use gluttony to weight and that is not what the word is speaking about at all and actually it’s a misquoted aspect of the word. When the word is speaking about gluttony, it’s not actually referring to food, it’s referring to ANYTHING that would be a bondage to the individual. The reason is simple, who decides what gluttony is? Who decides what is the appropriate weight? You? Me? The church? That’s where we get into problems all because people did not nor do not read the word correctly. Now, in matters of extreme weight, I would agree, there is a spiritual matter going on, but not every overweight person is guilty of gluttony just like not ever man is guilty of lust. God will deal with each person how they are to walk and how to be healthy physically. But gluttony in its truest definition has less to do with food and more to do with the spiritual lusts going on in the life of a person.

Disappointed in your spin.
I was referring only to the obese, as defined by your doctor, BMI and common sense.
Obesity hinders and distracts from a Christian’s testimony and witness. It causes a loss of credibility towards unbelievers and believers alike; Not to mention the myriad of health issues obesity causes.
Hope you will rethink and produce this truth so needed by the Church today.

paul says a glass of wine is good for the stomach , jeusus turned water into wine. yes i agree if someone thinks thye may get drunk stay away from wine but if not like french people its ok to have a glass. as paul and jesus did.

Such foolishness. Sin will never be justified when it comes to alcohol. I’ve seen the results of alcohol and so far there is not one good thing that can be justified by its usage. Try telling the woman who has to endure being beaten it’s no big deal. And to equate alcohol addiction to sugar is so beyond stupid it’s pathetic.